[This information is from Vol. I, pp. 176-182 of Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs, edited by Cuyler Reynolds (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1911). It is in the Reference collection of the Schenectady County Public Library at R 929.1 R45. Some of the formatting of the original, especially in lists of descendants, may have been altered slightly for ease of reading.]

The family name of Rankin may have come from several sources, depending upon the language from which it is derived. If the name in its original form, as first employed by the family, was derived from the Danish word "Rank," it would signify a person of upright character or one of erect bearing, adopted because of the upright carriage of him who first bore this name. If it is of Greek derivation, it would come from "Roinn," a promontory, share or division, and "Ceann," head — the head of the promontory. In all probability Rankin means Kin of Ran, as of Randolph.

(I) William Rankin, born in Stirlingshire, Scotland, May 16, 1745, came to America in early life. For some time he resided at Troy, New York, and also at Charleston, South Carolina. With other loyalists he emigrated to Shelburne, Nova Scotia, during the American revolution, where he died September 9, 1834. He was twice married. His second wife, whom he married at Brooklyn, New York, June 4, 1780, was Wilhelmina Payne, a widow, daughter of Dr. Ludowick Dunkle, a native of Holland. He had ten children.

(II) William (2), son of William (1) and Wilhelmina (Payne) Rankin, was born at Shelburne, Nova Scotia, December 22, 1785. He came early in life to Elizabethtown (now Elizabeth), New Jersey, and died December 14, 1869, while attending prayer meeting in Wyckliffe Chapel, Newark, New Jersey, which he had built through his interest in church work. He was a prosperous manufacturer of Newark, highly respected, and lived at Hill Park, High street, in that city. He received the honorary degree of A.M., Princeton, 1865. He married, at Elizabethtown, New Jersey, June 18, 1809, Abigail Ogden, born at that place September 7, 1789, died at Newark, New Jersey, December 22, 1876. She was a descendant of John Ogden, the Pilgrim, who was born September 19, 1609, married, May 8, 1637, Jane Bond, and died in 1682. His son, Captain Benjamin Ogden, was born in 1654, married, 1685, Hannah, daughter of John Woodruff, and died November 20, 1722. Their son, John Ogden, was born in 1689, married, October 27, 1717, Mary, daughter of Jacob Mitchell and Mary Morse. Their son, John Ogden, was born January 14, 1724, married (circa), 1746, Abigail daughter of John and Abigail Clark, and died September 27, 1817. Their son, Andrew Ogden, was born October 10, 1767, died October 10, 1836, married Phoebe Collard, December 9, 1788, who was born August 27, 1764, and died October 28, 1847, being the daughter of Isaac Collard and Anne Spinning, a descendant of Humphrey Spinning, one of the Elizabethtown associates. The Collards were Huguenots. Abigail, daughter of Andrew and Phoebe Ogden, married William Rankin.

Children of William (2) and Abigail (Ogden) Rankin:

William, Jr., born September 15, 1810; graduated at Williams College, was, in 1910, its oldest living graduate; resides With his son Prof. Walter M. Rankin (Williams, Ph.D., Munich) at Princeton, New Jersey.

Mary Ogden, born October 16, 1812; married Dr. Isaac M. Ward, October 31, 1832; died January 19, 1896.

Phebe Ann, born June 30, 1814; died at Newark, New Jersey, February 2, 1890; married, May 8, 1838, John L. Goble, of Newark, who died March 30, 1844.

Susan, born, July 17, 1816, died at Newark, New Jersey, November 23, 1886, married, Newark, June 25, 1834, Peter S. Duryee, who died September 25, 1877.

Isaac Newton, born April 7, 1818; died at Troy, New York, October 15, 1856; married (first), June 19, 1844, Charlotte Thomas, who died at Newark, New Jersey, October 2, 1853; married (second), October 25, 1855, Isabella S. Thomas, who died November 20, 1858.

Edward Erastus, born May 15, 1820; died at Newark, New Jersey, July 22, 1889; married Emily Watkinson, Hartford, Connecticut, October 13, 1847, see forward.

Lucinda Caroline, born November 6, 1822; died New York City, February 24, 1902; married, October 2, 1844, Rev. Samuel H. Hall.

Henry Van Vleck, born September 11, 1825; graduated Princeton, 1843; became missionary to China, and died at Tungchow, China, July 2, 1863; married, July 20, 1848, Mary G. Knight. His widow married Rev. Robert Aikman; living (1910) at Madison, New Jersey.

(III) Edward Erastus, sixth child of William (2) and Abigail (Ogden) Rankin, was born May 15, 1820; graduated at Yale College, 1840; Union Theological Seminary, 1843; pastor at Springfield, New Jersey, 1847-49; New York City pastorate, 1849-1863; Christian Commission, 1863-65; First Church of Christ, Fairfield, Connecticut, 1866-79; received degree of D.D. from Rutgers College. He died at Newark, New Jersey, July 22, 1889. He married, October 13, 1847, Emily Watkinson, of Hartford, Connecticut.

The Watkinson line, being of direct concern and interesting, in brief, is as follows: It is a tradition in the family that the Watkinsons lived at Black Notely Hall, England, for five hundred years, and that one of them was a soldier in the army of Cromwell. John Watkinson had for his fourth son, Richard, who married Mary Sparrow, daughter of Samuel Sparrow and Mary Grainger. Richard Watkinson died June 18, 1750. His son Samuel was born at Sibble Hedingham, England, July 1, 1745, and removed to Lavenham, Suffolk, England, in 1752, marrying Sarah Blair, October 6, 1768. She was great-granddaughter of David Blair, of Adamton, England, who obtained a charter from Charles II, July 2, 1669, and married Margaret Boswell, of Auchenloch, Ayrshire, Scotland. Their daughter Margaret married William Blair, of Giffordland, Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland, and their son David was father of Sarah, wife of Samuel Watkinson.

Children of Samuel Watkinson and Sarah Blair, all born at Lavenham, in house still standing:

Mary; married Joseph Perkins, of Norwich, Connecticut, November 13, 1803;

John Revell, married Hannah Hubbard, of Middletown, Connecticut, January 26, 1805; their daughter, Jane Elizabeth, born July 17, 1809, married Walcott Huntington, of Hartford, Connecticut, and their children have the portraits of Samuel Watkinson and Sarah Blair, (the latter painted by Gainsborough);

Samuel Watkinson, Jr., died in New York, September 6, 1799;

Elizabeth, married Alexander Collins, of Middletown, Connecticut, September 2, 1802;

Richard, died in New York, September 8, 1799;

David, married Olive, daughter of Barzillai Hudson, at Hartford, May 22, 1803;

Robert, married Maria, daughter of General Champion, of Westchester, Connecticut.

Samuel Watkinson, his wife and twelve children, as well as many of his Lavenham neighbors, under his escort, came to America in 1795 to escape religious persecution, being Presbyterians, and settled in Middletown, Connecticut, where he died October 26, 1816. Sarah Blair, his wife, was born December 26, 1743, and died at Middletown, March 17, 1819.

Edward Watkinson, tenth child of Samuel and Sarah (Blair) Watkinson, was born at Lavenham, England, May 13, 1783, and died at Hartford, Connecticut, February 17, 1841. He was in the wholesale iron business with his brother, David, and lived on Prospect street. He married, at Hartford, September 3, 1810, Lavinia Hudson. Children:

Harriet, married Rev. Horace Hooker (Thomas Hooker, lawyer, of New York City, was only surviving child in 1910, and he married Margaret Averill; no children);

Maria, married Edward W. Nichols, and their only child was Prof. Edward L. Nichols, of Cornell University, who married Ida Preston, and has two children: Elizabeth and Robert;

Anna, married Dr. Lucius Abbott, of Hartford, no children;

Margaret, married Dr. Daniel Brooks, of Brooklyn, no children;

David, died unmarried;

Emily, married Edward Erastus Rankin, and was mother of Edward Watkinson Rankin. She was born at Hartford, Connecticut, March 28, 1828, and died at Newark, New Jersey, March 10, 1901.

Lavinia Hudson, grandmother of Edward Watkinson Rankin, and wife of Edward Watkinson, was born in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1784, and died June 10, 1859. Her father was Barzillai Hudson, and her mother was Hannah Bunce. Her grandfather, William Hudson, was born at Bridgewater, Massachusetts, June 22, 1709. Barzillai Hudson was born at Bridgewater, Massachusetts, December 25, 1741; removed to Hartford, where he married, 1778, and died July 31, 1823. Hannah Bunce, daughter of Aaron Bunce, of Lebanon, Connecticut, was born in 1749, and died at Hartford, September 26, 1807. She married (first) Mr. Colton, and after his death, she married Ebenezer Watson, editor and publisher of the Hartford Courant, who died September 22, 1777. After his death she continued the publication of the Courant, with the aid of the staff, until her marriage with Mr. Hudson, who carried on the paper.

Children of Edward Erastus and Emily (Watkinson) Rankin:

Margaret, born at Springfield, New Jersey, April, 1849; died in New York City, aged seven years.

Edward Watkinson, born in New York City, August 12, 1850; married, Albany, New York, June 3, 1884, Catherine Bogart Putnam, see forward.

Rev. Isaac Ogden, born in New York City, November 22, 1852; graduated at Princeton, 1873; Union Theological Seminary, 1876; in 1910, one of the editors of The Congregationalist; married Martha, born October 20, 1855, daughter of Rev. Perkins Kirkland Clark, of Westfield, Massachusetts (Yale, 1838), and Hannah Smith Avery, of Coleraine, Massachusetts, to whom were born Hugh (Rankin), (Yale, 1903), residing in New York City, Margaret Clark (Rankin), (Smith College, 1908), and Lawrence Avery (Rankin), of Brookline, Massachusetts.

Caroline Hall, born in New York City, August 31, 1855; married, September 23, 1885, at Newark, New Jersey, John Rogers Ayer, son of Rev. Charles Lathrop Ayer, born North Stonington, Connecticut, June 25, 1826, died Windsor, Connecticut, June 2, 1907; married, November, 1849, Mary Bishop, at South Killingly, Connecticut, who was born July 26, 1828, at Lisbon, Connecticut. John Rogers Ayer died at Richmond, Massachusetts, October 17, 1909, leaving no children, and his widow resided there in 1910.

James Hepburn, born in New York City, January 17, 1858; died at Fairfield, Connecticut, March 9, 1876.

John Luther, born at Fairfield, Connecticut, December 15, 1869; graduate of Princeton, 1892; lawyer, residing, 1910, at South Orange, New Jersey; married, in St. George's Church, London, England, October 17, 1907, Mary Wheelwright Langdon, of New York City; children: Langdon and Margaret.

(IV) Edward Watkinson, son of Edward Erastus and Emily (Watkinson) Rankin, was born in New York City, August 12, 1850. He received his education at the Collegiate School of New York, the Newark (New Jersey) Academy, and Williston Seminary. He received the degree of A.B. from Princeton in 1871, and that of A.M., in 1873, and LL.B. from the Albany Law School of Union University the same year. He was admitted to practice in 1873, and in August of the same year went to Europe for the purpose of travel and study, remaining until December, 1874. The spring of the following year he settled in Albany, where he has continued to practice ever since, with an office in Tweddle Building. He is a charter member of the University Club and joined the Albany Institute in 1878. He has been a trustee of the Second Presbyterian Church, Albany, and has resided for over a quarter of a century in the Cherry Hill Mansion in the southern part of the city. He married, June 3, 1884, at Cherry Hill, Albany, Catherine Bogart Putman (see Putman family).

Catherine Bogart Putman, wife of Edward Watkinson Rankin, of Albany, was born at Glen, Montgomery county, New York, February 20, 1857. Upon the death of her mother, Harriet Maria Van Rensselaer Putman, in 1860, she came to Albany to live at the old homestead, Cherry Hill, with Mrs. P. E. Elmendorf, daughter of General Solomon and Arriet Van Rensselaer, a dearly-beloved cousin of her mother. Dr. and Mrs. Elmendorf had one daughter, Harriet Van Rensselaer Elmendorf, who married Dr. John Woodworth Gould.

Mrs. Rankin is now owner of the old mansion, which stands on high ground to the west of South Pearl street, almost concealed by large trees, a double house, built in 1768, of wood, filled in with brick, with a spacious veranda from which one may view the Hudson river with its commerce passing continually up and down. Instead of abandoning the house for another portion of the city, which might seem to some to be more congenial, or disturbing the interior furnishing as styles changed, she turned her attention to the beautifying of the estate, and to-day presides over one of the most quaintly charming of all the old-fashioned residences to be found within the limits of Albany county. Not alone does it possess for her abundance of charm of family romance, but her guests are immediately appreciative of this when cordially received within the walls from which ancestral portraits look down as one sits beside a great hearth fitted with all the old utensils, even to the crane, and is served from silver and china of past generations. It is to be noted at once that everything is in keeping, thus giving an atmosphere of unusual refinement. Among the many famous men of the early days entertained at Cherry Hill, General Lafayette was twice an honored guest while visiting in this country.

[Editorial note: More on Catherine Rankin and Cherry Hill may be found in "Honoring History" by Lyrysa Smith, Albany Times Union, July 17, 2003, pp. D1 and D4.]

Jan Putman was born in Holland, in 1645, and came to America in 1661. He married Cornelia, daughter of Arent Andriese Bradt and Catalyntje De Vos. He and his wife were killed in the Schenectady massacre of February 8, 1690.

Victor, son of Jan and Cornelia Putman, born about 1680, at Schenectady; married Grietje (Margaret) Mebie, at Albany, New York.

Cornelis, son of Victor and Grietje Putman, born December 17, 1724; married Eliza Pruyn, who died March 21, 1812, and he April 19, 1798.

Henry, son of Cornelis and Eliza (Pruyn) Putman, born September 12, 1761; married, March 4, 1781, Mary Quackenbush, of Charleston, New York, and died about 1798.

Cornelius H., son of Henry and Mary (Quackenbush) Putman, born August 29, 1796; died August 12, 1873; lawyer; married, October 24, 1820, Gazena Visscher Maybee.

Dr. Alonzo Putman, son of Cornelius H. and Gazena V. (Maybee) Putman, born October, 1826; married, June 4, 1856, Harriet Maria Van Rensselaer; died August 29, 1892. He was father of Catherine Bogart (Putman) Rankin.

Bastiaen Visscher, ancestor of the family of that name in America, lived at Hoorn, Holland, and married Dirkje Teunise. He had two sons, who came to Rensselaerwyck prior to 1644, Frederick, who is said to have returned to Holland, and Harmen.

Harmen Bastiaense Visscher was born about 1619, and married Hester Tjerkse, dying prior to 1692. His daughter, Ariantje, married Hieronomus Wendell (father of Elsie, wife of Dr. Nicholas Schuyler) before 1676.

Harmon Visscher, son of Frederick, baptized August 23, 1701, married, about 1739, Catherine Brouwer, daughter of William Brouwer, of Schenectady. He died, about 1774, near Fonda, New York.

Colonel Frederick Visscher, son of Harmon, was born February 21, 1741, at Albany, and married, May 22, 1768, Gazena, daughter of Daniel DeGraff and Gazena Swits. He died June 9, 1809. He was colonel of the Tryon county militia, commanded a regiment under General Herkimer at the battle of Oriskany, and was severely wounded in a fight against Tories and Indians, May 21, 1780. He was appointed brigadier-general by Governor George Clinton, February 6, 1787, for services in the revolutionary war, and was later first judge of the court of common pleas of Montgomery county. In June, 1782, on the occasion of General Washington's visit to Schenectady and at a dinner given in his honor, Colonel Visscher was, at the personal request of Washington, seated at his right hand.

Gazena, daughter of Colonel Frederick Visscher, was born July 14, 1771, and married, May 2, 1792, Simon Maybee.

Gazena, daughter of Simon and Gazena (Visscher) Maybee, was born February 23, 1801, married October 24, 1820, Cornelius H. Putman, and died February 20, 1861. She was the mother of Dr. Alonzo Putman and grandmother of Mrs. Catherine B. (Putman) Rankin.

Her mother, the wife of Dr. Alonzo Putman, was Harriet Maria Van Rensselaer, who was born September 12, 1827, married June 4, 1856, and died August 15, 1860.

Killaen Van Rensselaer, generally known as the First Patroon, was a pearl and diamond merchant in Amsterdam, Holland, and a director in the Dutch West India Company. He was the founder of the colony of Rensselaerwyck, and married, in 1627, Anna, daughter of Jan Van Wely, of Berneveldt, and Leonora Hawkins, of Antwerp. He died in 1646.

His son Jeremias married, July 12, 1663, Maria, daughter of Olof Stevense Van Cortlandt, of New Amsterdam, president of the Dutch council, and died October 14, 1674. From his son Killian the manorial branch of the Van Rensselaers is descended, and from the second son, Hendrick, the Cherry Hill and Claverack branches. His daughter Maria married Colonel Pieter Schuyler.

Hendrick Van Rensselaer, second son of Jeremiah or Jeremias, was born at Greenbush, opposite Albany, October 23, 1667; married, May 16, 1689, Catharina Van Brugh, granddaughter of Anneke Jans, and died in July, 1740. His daughter Maria married Samuel Ten Broeck.

Colonel Killaen Van Rensselaer, youngest son of Hendrick, born December 27, 1717; married, January 7, 1742, Ariantje, daughter of Dr. Nicholas Schuyler, and died in 1781. He was commissioned colonel of the Fourth Regiment, New York Militia, October 20, 1775, and served during the war. He was a member of the committee of correspondence, and of the New York assembly.

Philip Van Rensselaer, son of Killaen, born May 29, 1747; married to Maria Sanders, by Dominie Westerlo, February 24, 1768, at the home of her grandfather, Peter Schuyler, at the Flatts, and died March 3, 1798. He built the present Cherry Hill Mansion in 1768, shortly after General Philip Schuyler built the Schuyler mansion, not far away, and one year before the building of the Van Rensselaer Manor House, north of the city. To this home he brought his bride. The mansion subsequently came to General Solomon Van Rensselaer, who married Arriet, daughter of Philip Van Rensselaer, and to her daughter, Harriet, wife of Dr. Peter E. Elmendorf. Lieutenant-Colonel Philip Van Rensselaer had charge of the military stores of the Northern Department during the revolutionary war. He received his commission from General Philip Schuyler and was confirmed by congress. He was also a member of the committee of public safety of Albany.

Robert Sanders Van Rensselaer, second child of Philip and Maria Van Rensselaer, was born January 19, 1773, at Cherry Hill; married, October 9, 1800, Catherine Nicholas Bogart, at the home of her stepfather, James Van Rensselaer, at Crystal Hill. Harriet Maria, their youngest daughter, married Dr. Alonzo Putman, and was mother of Catherine Bogart (Putman) Rankin.

Anneke Jans was daughter of Tryntje Jansen, and married (first) Roelof Jansen, coming to America and settling at Rensselaerwyck with him in 1630. They removed to New Amsterdam in 1636, where he died. She married (second), in March, 1638, Rev. Everardus Bogardus, minister of the Dutch church, the first settled pastor in the colony. She had, by her first husband, five children, of whom the second, Tryntje Roelofs, married, for her second husband, Johannes Van Brugh. Catharina, daughter of Johannes and Tryntje Van Brugh, married Hendrick Van Rensselaer.

Philip Pieterse Schuyler came from Amsterdam to Beverwyck. He married, December 12, 1650, Margritta, daughter of Brant Arentse Van Schlictenhorst, resident director of Rensselaerwyck. He was ancestor of the Schuylers, of America, and had ten children.

Philip Schuyler, Jr., eighth son of Philip, was born February 8, 1666, and married (first), July 25, 1687, Elizabeth De Meyer, dying May 24, 1724.

Dr. Nicholas Schuyler, son of Philip and Elizabeth (De Meyer) Schuyler, was born September 11, 1691, married, December 2, 1714, Elsie Wendell, and died July 3, 1748. They had eight children.

Ariantje Schuyler, third child of Dr. Nicholas and Elsie (Wendell) Schuyler, was born March 6, 1720, married, January 7, 1742, Colonel Killaen Van Rensselaer, son of Hendrick, and father of Philip Van Rensselaer, and died October 17, 1763. She was a second cousin of General Philip Schuyler, and her portrait, painted on wood, hangs in the diningroom of the Cherry Hill mansion.

Harmanus Schuyler, seventh child of Dr. Nicholas and Elsie (Wendell) Schuyler, and brother of Ariantje, wife of Killaen Van Rensselaer, was born April 2, 1727, married Christina Ten Broeck, September 1, 1796, and had nine children. He was assistant deputy commissary general of the Northern Department, on appointment of General Philip Schuyler.

Elsie Schuyler, daughter of Harmanus and Christina (Ten Broeck) Schuyler, was born February 6, 1760, [married] June 15, 1783, Dr. Nicholas N. Bogart, of New York City, and, after his death, James Van Rensselaer, of Crystal Hill, in town of Bethlehem. She died September 26, 1838. Her only child, by her first husband, was Catherine Nicholas Bogart, who married Robert Sanders Van Rensselaer. Dr. Bogart died September 26, 1783.

Pieter Schuyler, fifth son of Philip Schuyler and Margritta Van Schlictenhorst, was born in Rensselaerwyck, September 17, 1657, and married (second) Maria, daughter of Jeremiah Van Rensselaer and Maria Van Cortlandt, September 14, 1691. He died February 19, 1724. He was the first mayor of Albany, and held various military and civil appointments.

Peter Schuyler, Jr., third son of Pieter Schuyler, baptized January 12, 1698, married, November 4, 1722, Catherine Groesbeck. He was appointed captain when twenty-three years old, and died September 2, 1753.

Thomas Sanders, of Amsterdam, married Sarah Corneilse Van Gorcum, in New Amsterdam, September 16, 1640, who died in Albany, December, 1669.

Robert, son of Thomas Sanders, baptized, New Amsterdam, November 10, 1641, married Elsje Barentse.

Barent, son of Robert Sanders, married Maria, daughter of Evert Wendell, September 19, 1704, and was buried June 22, 1738.

Robert, son of Barent and Maria (Wendell) Sanders, twenty-third mayor of Albany, was born at Albany, July 11, 1705, married, January 12, 1747, Elizabeth, daughter of Peter Schuyler, Jr. Their daughter, Maria, married Philip Van Rensselaer, of Cherry Hill, Albany.

Evert Janse Wendell, born 1615, at Emden, Hanover, came to America and settled in New Amsterdam about 1642. He married (first) Susanna Du Trieux, July 31, 1644, who died about 1660; married (second) Maritje Abramse, daughter of Abraham Pieter Vosburgh. He died in Albany, in 1709.

Hieronimus (Jeronimus), son of Evert J. and Susanna (Du Trieux) Wendell, was born in 1655, and married Ariantje Visscher, daughter of Harmen and Hester Visscher, before 1676.

Elsje, daughter of Hieronimus Wendell, was born April 21, 1689, married Dr. Nicholas Schuyler, December 2, 1714, and was the mother of Ariantje Schuyler, wife of Colonel Killaen Van Rensselaer.

Maria, daughter of Evert Janse Wendell and Maritje, his second wife, was born August 16, 1677, and married, September 9, 1704, Barent Sanders.

Dirck Wesselse Ten Broeck was born December 18, 1638,and died September 18, 1717, at Clermont, New York. He married, Albany, 1663, Christyna Van Buren (born May 19, 1644, died November 24, 1729, daughter of Cornelis Maessen Van Buren and Catalyntje Martensen, who came from Guelderland, 1631). He was alderman under the original charter of the city of Albany, 1686, recorder for ten years, member of provincial assembly, five years, and was appointed the fourth mayor of Albany, 1696.

His son, Samuel Ten Broeck, was born in 1680, died April 5, 1756, married, November 7, 1712, Maria, daughter of Hendrick Van Rensselaer and Catharina Van Brugh. His wife was baptized March 29, 1689, and died July 31, 1771.

Christina, daughter of Samuel and Maria (Van Rensselaer) Ten Broeck, was born November 29, 1729; married, Claverack, Columbia county, New York, September 4, 1754, Colonel Harmanus Schuyler, who died September 1, 1796. Their daughter, Elsje, who married Dr. Nicholas Bogart, entertained, in July, 1783, General Washington, Governor Clinton and General Philip Schuyler, in the absence of her mother, at their home at old Saratoga (Schuylerville), when they came to visit the scene of Burgoyne's surrender.